Summary: In the "Parable of the Sower" we see that the percentage of fruitful seeds is not acceptable in the eyes of the Lord.

• Highway Ground-Cornfields possess travel paths through the rows of corn, the seed in which fell upon this seed was not sown in ‘fallow ground’

• Fallow ground is:

a. Unplowed or

b. Uncultivated

• These who hear the word and understand it not are those who:

a. Do not heed it

b. Do not take hold of it

c. Do not come with a design to get good

i. This is a reference to those who don’t understand its truth

• Often, we can see this verse illustrated in a nut; sometimes we can crack open a nut that looks healthy on the outside, but inside is empty of its fruit

• Many people believe in:

a. A god of some kind, but not the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

b. A ‘supernatural’ existence

c. An energy greater than our own

• These people may have ‘heard’ the gospel but never allowed the seed of salvation to take hold

• Jesus said in part (b) of this verse that it is Satan that snatches this seed from our heart; just as the birds take from the unsown seed of the corn field

• People who fit this category could be seen as:

a. Mindless

b. Careless

c. Irresponsible

• These types classify as ‘easy’ prey for Satan

• Satan is a great murder of souls, the deceiver of deceivers and the father of all lies

a. John 8:44: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

• In the first type of seed, there is NO EVIDENCE of any relationship with God or Jesus Christ

2. HELPLESS SEED (VS 5-6;21)

• This is a person that quite possibly attends church on a regular basis, holds positions w/in the church; these people appear to have root but in reality do not

• This could be interpreted as having a ‘good impression’ of the word, but the impression does not last

• This type of seed could be considered better than other types but still not as good as should be

• These people:

a. Are open to the word

b. Listen to its content

c. But never conform to its direction

• These people are ‘quick to hear’

• They spring up as if they know the time of beauty will be short lived

• This type of seed or people seemed to have taken root but when the winds and storm came, they were taken away

• Galatians 5:7-9: “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.”

• Paul was talking to the church at Galatia and criticizing there leaving sound doctrine

• Those who have no root:

a. Are often soon offended

b. Quarrel in defense of their profession

c. Quit in the middle of a storm

• The sun in this parable represents ‘persecution’

• The same sun that warms and nourishes that which is well rooted; withers and burns up that with little root

• This type of seed lightly comes and lightly goes

3. HURTING SEED (VS 7;22)

• This seed survived farther than the previous two, because it had some root

• This is a seed that grew, bloomed and was prosperous but because of its environment it was choked out